Chapter 26: The Matador Spirit That Belongs Only to Spain!

Why are Spaniards so fond of the passionate and uniquely charismatic flamenco dance?
Why do they always give the impression of being fiery and full of passion?
And why do they love bullfighting, a competitive sport that balances danger with exhilaration?
...
The end result was that by the time Lin Tian had finished washing up the next morning and ordered two breakfasts, he was already halfway through his meal when Pataky finally stirred awake. She casually threw on one of Lin Tian’s shirts, and the shyness from the night before vanished completely. She sat directly beside him and asked, "Did you prepare this yourself?"

"Not exactly. The hotel doesn't have a kitchen, but that's not the point. I’d rather remind you of something else." Lin Tian paused, then continued, "You had better go to the bathroom and wash up right now, then change into your own clothes. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to keep eating my breakfast so calmly..."

The very next moment...
"I'm going to change right now!"
With that, Pataky practically launched herself out of her seat and bolted into the bathroom!

Pataky changed quickly, and after making sure to maintain a respectful distance from Lin Tian, she finally dared to sit down and eat breakfast.

...
That night, Lin Tian did not know where the other Spanish girls had gone, nor did he know if Rodman had gone looking for the Disney princesses again, or if Pippen had sought out his beloved Evil Queen.
However, when the time came for the team to gather and Lin Tian boarded the bus, he could clearly see that everyone’s face was filled with exhaustion.
The team’s head coach, Jackson, was nowhere to be found on the bus.

"Phil is feeling a bit under the weather and went to the hospital. We’ll head to Miami first, and he will arrive before tonight," the team’s lead assistant coach, Cleamons, said after checking the headcount, offering a reason that didn't seem to convince anyone.
At the very least, Lin Tian didn't believe it for a second!
That old man was probably lying in his hotel room, unable to move a muscle.

"So, Lin, how was your exclusive interview last night?" Rodman, wearing his characteristically flamboyant sunglasses, sidled up next to Lin Tian.
Ever since witnessing Lin Tian’s talent, which could utterly crush Pippen’s, he had found himself drawn much closer to him.
Lin Tian figured this was just a case of the "admiration of strength" gene at work!
David Robinson couldn't handle Rodman simply because he wasn't strong enough!

"Not bad," Lin Tian said with a shrug and a smile. He was somewhat different from these guys who were incredibly open and seemed to want the whole team to review the status and details of the previous night’s "match" every single morning; he wasn't particularly fond of discussing such things.

...
When the team bus dropped everyone off at the plane, Jordan, as per his usual routine, immediately called out to his friends to join him for a card game!
Of course, the role players had no business joining Jordan’s card games!
Kukoc and Longley, the two international players, despite having significant status on the team, were not invited because they didn't really mesh with the group.
Thus, those who could play cards with Jordan were limited to Rodman, Pippen, Harper, and Kerr.
Aside from Kerr, who had earned Jordan’s respect—and a seat at the gambling table—after nearly getting into a neck-to-neck brawl with him during a scrimmage, the other three were the team’s untouchable, absolute starters.